Kalitta and Alexis DeJoria Both Win Inaugural Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge

CHANDLER, Ariz. (March 26, 2023) – Doug Kalitta drove his Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel dragster to the number one qualifier position with his pass Friday afternoon at 3.679 seconds. The time held through Saturday’s two qualifying sessions for Kalitta’s 51^st career number one qualifier. In addition to the number one qualifier position, the Mac Tools team also claimed the inaugural Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge giving the team a $10,000 bonus.

Alexis DeJoria drove her GR Supra Funny Car to the number two qualifier position with her final pass on Saturday with a time of 3.914 seconds and also won the $10,000 bonus for the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge.

Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series

Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park

Race 2 of 21

TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Doug Kalitta	Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	1st (3.679)	R. Passey
Steve Torrence	Capco Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	6th (3.724)	K. Baldwin
Justin Ashley	Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	7th (3.724)	T. Schumacher
Shawn Langdon	DHL Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	8th (3.729)	A. Brown
Antron Brown	Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster	9th (3.739)	S. Langdon

(*non-Toyota driver)

TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS

Name	Car	Qualifying Position	First Round Opponent
Bob Tasca III	Ford Motorcraft Funny Car	1st (3.874)	BYE
Alexis DeJoria	Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	2nd (3.914)	J. Todd
Ron Capps	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	6th (4.028)	A. Laughlin
J.R. Todd	DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car	15th (5.332)	A. DeJoria

(*non-Toyota driver)

TOYOTA QUOTES

DOUG KALITTA, Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports

TF Qualifying Result: 1st

What does it mean to win the inaugural Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and how bad did your team need this win?

“It was awesome that the Mission folks put up this event and it’s been fun all day. We’re just happy to go some rounds and definitely get the win light to come on. Hats off to Allen (Johnson, crew chief) and all my guys on this Mac Tools Toyota car. We’re happy and we’ll just roll into tomorrow and see if we can keep it going.”

When will we see another Wally in your hand and how is the momentum of the race team?

“We’re working on it. I couldn’t be more excited about what’s going on. Just have to be patient apparently because I’ve been trying to get another Wally, but we’re sneaking up on it for sure. Hopefully tomorrow.”

ALEXIS DEJORIA, Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, DC Motorsports

FC Qualifying Result: 2nd

How does this win in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge mean to your and your team?

“Just coming back to this race track after not being here for a while. I had my very first win here in Nitro Funny Car back in 2014 so it just has all these good feelings, good vibes for me. Today, that first round against Matt Hagan, we made it past him and we ran pretty good. It was a hellacious ride at the top end, but my guys are just so badass and they’re the reason that we’re in this position in the first place. I sucked in Gainesville on my reaction times and they gave me a great GR Supra and I’m just really, really blessed right now. I’ve got a great team and a great car. Ran a 3.91 and it’s been a tough weekend trying to get down the track for everybody. Thank you to Mission Foods, I’m so excited, thank you guys! I get to give this $10,000 to my guys today and that’s the best gift ever.”

March 25, 2023

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang are set to start 16^th in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Burton turned a lap at 92.846 miles per hour in qualifying on Saturday. His speed was up from practice on Friday, where his lap at 92.286 mph was 15^th fastest on the speed chart. His best time came on the 14^th of the 16 lap he ran in the session. 

Sunday’s 68-lap, 231.88-mile race on the 3.41-mile, 20-turn course is set to start just after 2:30 p.m. Central Time (3:30 Eastern) with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 15 and 30.

NASCAR CUP SERIES CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS ECHO PARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING REPORT MARCH 25, 2023

WILLIAM BYRON DRIVES CHEVROLET TO POLE POSITION AT COTAChevrolet drivers take eight of the top-10 in starting lineup

·       William Byron (No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1) posted a lap of 130.76 seconds, at 93.882 mph to capture the pole position for tomorrow’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas.  ·       The pole win is Byron’s first of 2023 in the NASCAR Cup Series, and his ninth career pole in 186 starts in NASCAR’s premier series.·       Byron is now the first driver in NASCAR’s top series to win a pole at four different road course circuits: Charlotte ROVAL (2019), Road America (2021), Indianapolis Road Course (2021) and Circuit of The Americas (2023). ·       Byron’s pole win marks Chevrolet’s third in the NASCAR Cup Series this season, its second NCS pole at Circuit of The Americas, and its manufacturer-leading 737th all-time pole in NCS competition.

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 STARTING LINEUP:  POS.   DRIVER1st      William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL14th      Jordan Taylor, No. 9 UniFirst Camaro ZL15th      Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL16th      Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL17th      AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Farmsmart Camaro ZL18th      Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Camaro ZL19th      Kyle Busch, No. 8 Netspend Camaro ZL110th    Noah Gragson, No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Camaro ZL1 TOP-FIVE UNOFFICIAL STARTING LINEUP:  POS.  DRIVER1st      William Byron (Chevrolet)2nd      Tyler Reddick (Toyota)3rd      Austin Cindric (Ford)4th      Jordan Taylor (Chevrolet)5th      Daniel Suarez (Chevrolet)

AUSTIN, TX (March 25, 2023) – Chevrolet has been a consistent frontrunner on NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) road course circuits in recent seasons and with qualifying in the books, the series’ winningest manufacturer continues to prove just that. Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron laid down a lap of 130.76 seconds, at 93.882 mph, in his No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1 to nab the pole position for tomorrow’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA). The pole win marks Byron’s first NCS pole of the season, and his ninth career pole in his young NCS career. The 25-year-old North Carolina native has now earned a pole at four different road courses in NASCAR’s top series, making him the only driver in series’ history to accomplish that feat.  The Bowtie brand exuded dominance in qualifying with Chevrolet drivers taking an impressive eight of the top-10 positions on the final leaderboard. Joining Byron in the top-10 includes Jordan Taylor, who drove the No. 9 UniFirst Camaro ZL1 to a fourth-place qualifying effort to setup his first career start in NASCAR’s premier series. Fellow Chevrolet drivers Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, AJ Allmendinger, Erik Jones, Kyle Busch and Noah Gragson took the fifth through 10th positions, respectively, to give five different Chevrolet teams a top-10 starting spot for the drop of the green flag in tomorrow’s race.  FOX will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on Sunday, March 26, at 3:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can also be found on the PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 – Pole Win Press Conference TranscriptWHAT DOES THIS POLE MEAN TO YOU AND THE FIRST PIT BOX SELECTION FOR THE RACE, STARTING UP FRONT, TRACK POSITION, AND STRATEGY THAT GOES INTO THAT?“It’s good. I think it’s been an up and down weekend. The Cup car we definitely had a little bit of work to do yesterday just on overall balance and grip in some areas, and areas in me as a driver. I feel like when we talked overnight with Brian and Brandon and talked on the phone with Rudy, talked about how there’s maybe three-tenths on my end and three-tenths on the car’s end. We’re able to close that gap a little bit today and put both together. Good to get the pole, but really tomorrow is what matters and there’s a lot of work to do. A lot of physical work to do in the race later today, then tomorrow is going to be tough. Excited for it. Hopefully prepare throughout today and then going into tomorrow.”  WHEN YOU SAW TYLER (REDDICK) PUT DOWN THE LAP THAT HE DID IN THE OPENING QUALIFYING, WHICH WAS A MILE AN HOUR FASTER THAN FIRST GROUP, DID YOU STILL HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BEAT HIM IN THE SECOND ROUND? HOW DID THAT WORK OUT? “I honestly didn’t. I thought Tyler (Reddick) has been the fastest all weekend by a good bit. I thought, ‘Okay, if we can just get in the top three, maybe those guys will slow down a bit or something will change to allow us to have a better lap.’ I knew I left some on the table. I don’t think I thought I could have picked up that much, but a little bit is a lot. In each corner, you’ve got 22 corners around here, so you pick up a little bit in each corner. Maybe you keep the corners that were pretty good, you keep those the same, and all of a sudden there’s a second. That’s what I’ve always noticed with road course racing – a little bit is a lot. Just put a really good lap together. My team gave me the confidence of having a really similar car Round 1 to Round 2 that I could just hustle and I didn’t have to question whether car grip was going to be there. It was really good.”  THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THREE SEASONS (RUDY FUGLE) HAS NOT BEEN IN YOUR EAR DURING A RACE, AND HE’S BEEN UNIQUE WITH HIS MANNERISMS AND HOW HE TALKS TO YOU. HOW DIFFERENT HAS THAT BEEN NOT TO HAVE HIM IN YOUR EAR?“We’ve always had that comfort with each other. He’s honestly built the culture around the team. That culture of the race team continues whether he’s there or not. That foundation has been built. You plug in a couple of other pieces, and to do a little bit different roles, but everyone starts to step up a little bit more and makes sure that each other’s jobs are easier so that we can fill the gap that’s there without him being there. Just thankful for the work he does throughout the week, and managing this race team and getting it to where it is. He’s got his stamp on everything that we do. We’ve got personnel on the team that can pick up each other in those situations, and it’s nice to see that we have that strength at Hendrick to fill that gap.”  WHAT IS IT LIKE TO RACE AGAINST TWO F1 CHAMPIONS, A FOUR-TIME IMSA CHAMPION, ESPECIALLY AS YOUR TEAMMATE, AND DO YOU FEEL JORDAN (TAYLOR) WITH RUNNING SO WELL HAS A SHOT TOMORROW?“I think Jordan (Taylor) is really strong. The thing that’s impressed me about him is his adaptation to the lateral capability of this car. That’s probably where, I haven’t talked to the other guys, but that’s where the biggest difference is, how free the car is and how loose it can be in certain corners. His braking is phenomenal. He’s got excellent characteristics under braking and downshifting. I think he’s a right foot braker, which is crazy in the modern era of NASCAR. It’s impressive what he’s doing. And I think the other guys, too. It’s just impressive that they come over and try this because it is so different. Maybe it’s a little more similar with the NextGen but it’s still quite a bit different. The car has a lot more body roll and it’s a lot heavier.”  DOES THIS SEEM SURREAL TO HAVE THE RUN YOU’VE HAD SO FAR, AND HOW WILL YOU COPE WITH A RACETRACK LIKE COTA BEING PRETTY HOT TOMORROW?“It’s not unexpected, I don’t think. It’s great to see things come together like they are, but we’re putting in the work, putting in the effort throughout the week, throughout the weekend to make sure we’re prepared. So, I’m not really surprised by what our team is capable of. It’s nice to see it all click, but it’s a long season. We just have got to keep it up for however many weeks are left and we’ve got a lot of things to still do and accomplish. It’s a grind, so we’ve got to strap in and get ready for it. I think the other aspect of it is heat. The heat is going to be tough. Just managing the day throughout the day and getting the right amount of nutrients and hydration and sleep is probably the biggest thing. Just making sure I stretch and things like that. It’s going to be tough for sure.”  WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO CHECK OFF THE WINNING BOX ON A ROAD COURSE WITH HOW IMPRESSIVE YOU’VE BEEN AT THEM SO FAR?“I think it’s good. I think the race is what matters. I haven’t had the success in the races that I want to have, so just putting it together for the entire three, four hours. Not making mistakes, making the critical decisions that it takes to be successful. Qualifying has always been pretty good for me. I’m typically able to just kind of get on the wheel for that lap and make the most of it. I think it’s just doing that for three hours and managing the tires, managing the brakes, the ebb and flow that it takes. Typically, we’ve had to race for stage points and cycle ourselves back. I think that’s something this year that will be different. I’ve always kind of been racing for points, so this year hopefully we can stay up front the whole time.”  HOW DIFFERENT WILL THIS BE STRATEGICALLY AND THE ADVANTAGE OF STARTING UP FRONT BECAUSE OF HOW THE STAGE BREAKS WILL BE?“It should be a little bit different tomorrow but there’s still probably going to be one or two times that others cycle forward that you kind of have to get through traffic. A race is never that easy to kind of be out front the whole time in NASCAR racing, so there’s going to be some period of time that you’re going to cycle back, like to eighth or ninth, but you’re going to have to make up that ground. You just got to focus on those time periods, and making up the track position you can, and then managing what you have so you’re not getting beat up back there, beating up the brakes, the tires. It’s management, but hopefully we can be towards the front the whole time.”  JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 9 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1 – Qualified fourth JORDAN ON DRIVING COMPARISONS TO IMSA VS. NASCAR…“There was no comparison. I almost crashed the car on my first two laps yesterday. Expecting one thing and realizing something different, so it was honestly a full new experience. Yesterday, I felt like I was out of control 90 percent of the time. Today, I felt like I understood what the car was doing. We made good setup changes to kind of help me with that, to give me a better sense of where the grip was. I see people talking about how close the parallels are, but I think if you talk to anybody who has driven both, it’s quite a shocking difference.” HOW WAS IT GETTING THE CALL TO DRIVE FOR HENDRICK CONSIDERING YOU’RE A BIG JEFF GORDON FAN?“The call came from Jeff (Gordon) himself. It was surreal, and honestly felt surreal until getting to the track here and getting into the car in practice. I was shaking the whole time until we actually got to driving. It’s definitely an intense experience. Obviously, it’s all rushed and last minute, but the guys have done an amazing job prepping me and getting me as prepared as possible. Getting speed out of the car and myself is one thing, I think the race tomorrow will be a whole different animal.”  HOW DOES THAT ALL FEEL, GETTING PAST ALL OF THAT TO TODAY, PERFORMING WHEN YOU NEEDED TO AND PUTTING THE CAR WHERE YOU FELT LIKE IT SHOULD BE?“It’s a relief, to be honest. Coming in here, everyone knows it’s a winning car and winning team. If the car’s not up front, there’s one different variable which is the driver not doing his job. I knew there’s a lot of eyes on it to perform. I’m just glad to make everyone proud, to be honest. I know Jeff (Gordon) and Chad (Knaus) and Mr. Hendrick all took a risk on me to put me in this car in this position with no experience in (NASCAR), so I’m just glad to make them proud so far. We’ll see how tomorrow goes.” ARE YOU PREPARED FOR RESTARTS?“I don’t think I’m prepared for anything knowing race day. We have done as much as we possibly could to prepare. Obviously, rolling through pit lane, to practice pit speed. Yesterday, during practice, doing one pulling into the pit stall to see what that’s like. We did practice at the shop. I’ve driven around by myself the 65 minutes we’ve had on track. I haven’t really seen a lot of other cars, so I think it’s going to be a much different experience tomorrow.”  ARE YOU GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH HOW YOU COME DOWN PIT ROAD? YOU MENTIONED YOU’RE USED TO PUSHING BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?“We’re used to just going flat out like it’s on cruise control and not thinking about it. That was honestly my number one concern was coming into the weekend: not just remembering that but nailing it. I know there’s a fine window of getting it right. In the simulator, we practiced it a bunch. I told the guys I’d rather sacrifice a couple of laps in practice to roll through pit lane to practice that. So we did yesterday to get a feel for it. Hopefully it’s easier than the simulator, but it’s still a difficult variable. I still haven’t had to look for my pit stall yet with a million boards while looking at the dash. It’s going to be another element to learn tomorrow.”  HOW MUCH SIMULATOR TIME HAVE YOU HAD?“Probably an hour and a half total. It wasn’t as much as I would have wanted. I had 30 minutes the week I got the call, and then I had an hour this week. It wasn’t a ton of time. I would’ve loved to have had a whole week of simulator time. The Hendrick guys have done an amazing job. Obviously, the correlation between that Chevy simulator and real life, I was running the qualifying lap I think was an 11-zero and that’s what I ran in the simulator. Once I got comfortable in the car and exploited what was there, the simulator transferred very well. That was definitely good to have in my back pocket.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT MARCH 25, 2023

Kimi Räikkönen, No. 91 Onx/iLOQ Camaro ZL1, and Justin Marks, Founder and Owner of Trackhouse Racing, met with the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Circuit of The Americas. Press Conference Transcript: WHAT DOES RACING AT COTA MEAN TO YOU IN TERMS OF YOUR EXPERIENCE IN F1 AND NOW IN NASCAR? Kimi Räikkönen: “First of all, I’m happy to be back with the team, PROJECT91, and at the track that I know. Obviously, a lot different to how it feels. It’s the same track but it feels a lot different in an F1 car to a NASCAR car. A lot of the corners are more kind of straights in F1 because of the downforce. It gets a bit trickier in a NASCAR car. It’s nice to be back and it’s a lovely place to be here in Texas. Let’s hope we can do well. We will try to improve from yesterday and today and see what we do in the race.” COMPARED TO F1, HOW HAS THIS EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE FOR YOU TO WORK WITH YOUR TEAMMATES ROSS (CHASTAIN) AND DANIEL (SUAREZ) IN TERMS OF GETTING THEIR INSIGHTS? Kimi Räikkönen: “It’s different. In F1, it’s a lot of meetings and a lot of other stuff. Here, it’s a bit more relaxed. You kind of have the meetings, but it’s a different way. I don’t have the experience with the cars and all the details, so we had a meeting yesterday as a group, as a whole team, and it’s nice to listen and assess what they thought about the car and what they should do with the car. I think it sounds like everybody has similar difficulties with the cars here. The rear seems to be the tricky part in the highest bit but it’s good to have teammates and to hear what they’re saying and get some advice from them.” HOW MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE DO YOU FEEL NOW THAN YOU DID AT (WATKINS) GLEN? Kimi Räikkönen: “Obviously, a little bit. It was just a different track again, and I haven’t driven any racecars since last year, so it takes a while to get used to it again even though I know the car. The car has lost some downforce, so it makes it a bit more tail-happy. At least I know that most of the things how it goes. Is it going to get any better results? We’ll find out. But I know the track so that helps, but as I said before it’s a lot different track with a NASCAR car than an F1 car. I feel more ready for sure on that side now that I know how the race goes and how everything else goes.” CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE ON PROJECT91 AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THIS YEAR? Justin Marks: “I’m really happy with where PROJECT91 is right now. It’s resonating with people. We’ve got some great sponsors on the car this weekend. We’re going to definitely race this car multiple times this year. We’re not ready to make any of those announcements yet but people are taking notice. We’ve got some great sponsorships coming our way. It’ll be an exciting program we’ll be able to announce pretty soon.” WHAT’S BEEN THE GREATER TRANSITION RACING IN NASCAR – KNOWING THE CARS OR KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RACE? Kimi Räikkönen: “I think it’s everything. Obviously, I have some experience on different cars and different categories. I did Rally, which is completely different to what I was used to doing in F1. NASCAR, again, it’s easy to think that they’re all kind of similar because you have a steering wheel and four tires, but it changes a lot. The racing is slightly different because in F1 with open wheels, if you touch somebody you usually lose a car or lose the wheel. You cannot really take that risk in F1 that much because you lose tiny parts of the car, and your car is suddenly a second slower than it should be. In NASCAR, you can have a bit more closer racing. Obviously, the rules are different. They’re more open here. I think it’s more of if you kind of behave, well they’ll behave a similar way against you the way I’ve understood. It makes it more exciting at the end of the races when people can be quite aggressive. Everything is different. How they run practices, how they run qualifying, it’s all kind of a learning curve. The car is obviously a lot more different to drive than any other car that I’ve driven before. I like it. It’s quite relaxed. It’s very warming kind of atmosphere. It’s good.” “I had a good experience in the last one last year. It didn’t end up like we had wished, but when you have 40 other cars, things can go wrong.” DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL MEMORIES FROM YOUR LAST VICTORY HERE (AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS)? Kimi Räikkönen: “Yeah, for sure. That was my last win and obviously, here, great memories. It was a long time coming and it was a nice race. It wasn’t an easy race, but we managed to win it. I have, for sure, good memories of that.” COMING BACK TO AUSTIN AS A FIRST WIN AS A TEAM, HOW DOES IT FEEL COMING BACK TO YOUR FIRST CAREER WIN AS AN OWNER? Justin Marks: “It definitely feels a little bit different than all of the race tracks we go to just because it was such a bit day for our company. You can’t help but drive in here and have a lot of memories from that great day. In that respect, Circuit of the Americas will always be something very special to our company. This weekend, it’s about trying to defend it. Everybody knows these cars a lot better now than they did this time last year, and the competition is tougher this time than it was last year. We’ve got three great drivers and great opportunities to have a good result on Sunday, so that’s what we’re focused on. But I would say Circuit of the Americas is always going to be a place that holds special meaning for our company, obviously.” WE’VE KIND OF SEEN A REVIVAL OF RINGERS COMING BACK, YOU KIND OF STARTING IT WITH PROJECT91. TODAY’S FIELD IS A DIVERSE TALENT POOL. FROM AN OWNER’S STANDPOINT, DO YOU SEE A POTENTIAL OF A RINGER POSSIBLY COMPETING FOR A WIN AGAIN LIKE WE SAW IN THE 90’S, EARLY 2000’S? Justin Marks: “Yeah, I certainly think it’s possible. I think because this type of racing is so unique, the car is so different – just the competition, the way the races are, pit road, and strategy. All that stuff is very unique that it’s probably going to be difficult for anybody to come in and do it their first try. But I think that if a program is built around a driver where they get multiple opportunities and they can learn that, like Kimi will be a lot stronger in this race than he was in Watkins Glen just because he’s done it once before and he knows what to expect and he will be better. I think if you get this talent in here and they can learn how to manage these races, and these races are really hard to win for someone who does this every single week for years, so I would say the talent is there. Once the experience matches up with it, I certainly think that’s a potential.” YOU’VE BEEN AT THIS TRACK A NUMBER OF TIMES, WON HERE IN 2018. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT THIS TRACK, AND WHAT’S THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE THAT MAYBE YOU DIDN’T SEE IN F1 BUT THAT YOU SEE IT IN STOCK CAR? Kimi Räikkönen: “I think generally the track is nice because at least in F1, and I’m sure in NASCAR, it creates good racing. There are places you can overtake, and especially in F1, you don’t get a lot of circuits you can have a good race. People can actually overtake without the DRS, and it feels more like a normal older-style F1 racing. So that’s how the track layout works for F1 quite well. As I said before, in F1, it’s not flat. Some of the first parts are almost flat, (turns) 17 and 18, those are pretty easy and flat for those cars. A lot of the corners that are tricky. Probably the most tricky corners for NASCAR, they’re not really for F1 cars because of the downforce. It makes a huge difference in the track. All of the bumps the track has in F1 you get away with a lot because, again, the downforce helps and you don’t really feel it but in a NASCAR car, the effect is quite big. It makes it a much more tricky track to drive and to get the car somewhat working as you wish. It’s a completely different track in many ways. It sounds stupid because it’s the same track, but the car makes it a lot different.” SINCE TRACKHOUSE’S INCEPTION IN 2021, IS YOUR VISION GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN, AND WHAT’S LEFT ON THE TABLE? Justin Marks: “It’s been tremendous. It’s been incredible. I’ve said it a number of times the plan was always to work really hard and try to build an organization to compete for wins and ultimately compete for a championship. We’ve proven that’s possible for us. We had such an incredible year in 2022 that the challenge shifts a little bit to really focusing on the things we have to focus on to make sure that that’s repeatable, and that we can do that every year, and that we’re continuing to learn these cars at the rate that all these other teams are learning and adapt to any kind of changes in the sport that are coming. That’s really what we need to focus on. But there’s a lot of people over here on this side of the room that’s really had a big role in Trackhouse being a thing and being a contender on the race track. We’ve got a lot of great partners. Our support from Chevrolet has really allowed us access to tools and knowledge that we need to be successful. We’ve got racecar drivers and great pit crews and people at Trackhouse. We’re doing exactly what we thought was possible. It’s been just a lot of fun. It’s been awesome. We’re always working on fun stuff.” DID YOU EXPECT YOU’D COME BACK TO A NASCAR RACE IN TEXAS TO RACE AGAINST JENSON BUTTON AGAIN? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW COOL IT IS, THE FIELD, THIS WEEKEND? Kimi Räikkönen: “No, no. I didn’t. I’m not probably expected if I came back or not. It depends on so many things. I’m grateful for the team that we can have another go again, but then a lot of things. The family likes to come here, they really enjoyed last year. It’s a nice trip for all of us, but then there’s a lot of different moving parts that needs to fit – that the timing goes right, and this seems to be the right one. A lot of good drivers. The guys that do it all the time, they’re really fast not just on ovals but also on road courses, they’re good. They’re professional guys and they know how to drive these cars. It doesn’t matter if it’s a road course or an oval, they will always be fast. It’s hard to challenge them, but we will try again with our best and see what we get.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS ECHO PARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT MARCH 25, 2023

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1, met with the media Saturday prior to NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Circuit of The Americas. Press Conference Transcript:  THIS IS KIND OF A HOME RACE FOR YOU. HOW MUCH OF A HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE IS COTA FOR YOU?“It feels like quite a bit. My mom actually arrived last night. She drove from my hometown along with a close friend of mine and my sister. So yeah, it definitely feels like home. I’m very happy to be here in Austin. COTA is an amazing racetrack. I have my family here. Today is Justin Marks’ birthday so we have a Birthday Boss this weekend. We have fast cars, too, so everything is looking great. We have a lot of reasons to be happy and grateful. We’re looking forward to get rolling here shortly for qualifying.” HOW SPECIAL WOULD IT BE TO DELIVER YOUR BIRTHDAY BOSS A WIN?“Winning is always great. We can always find reasons why winning is so amazing. This weekend obviously we have Justin’s birthday, mom is here – I haven’t seen her in several months – and my sister is here – I haven’t seen her in almost a year. So yeah, it’s a good time to be here. And it’s a good time to be fast. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do. So far we have had a pretty acceptable weekend so far.” HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GAUGE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ROAD COURSE/SHORT TRACK PACKAGE LAST YEAR AND WHAT YOU SAW YESTERDAY IN PRACTICE?“A lot of things changed from last year to this year, and not just on the aero package. Also the racetrack is more bumpy, in my opinion. I don’t think that’s because of the downforce package. We have a different tire, and last year here at COTA was the first road course race for the Next-Gen car. We have learned so much since then. Yeah, we’re in a different spot but I don’t think that we are exactly comparing apples to apples because a lot of things have changed. All in all, it feels good. The fall-off at the end of the day, that was the main thing NASCAR was looking for, is bigger so that’s a positive. I feel like that is going to open the doors to different strategies now that we don’t have to stop for stage breaks. It should be fun. I’m really looking forward to the race.” MORE ON DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAST YEAR’S CAR AND THIS YEAR.“Last year, I truly feel like I had the best car. This time around, I feel like we have a fast car. Right now, I don’t feel like we have the best car but I feel like we can have one of the best cars. And that’s all I can ask for. I don’t feel like I need to have the fastest car to be able to win the race. I feel that if I can have something similar to the fast guys then we can make it happen as a team. Above it all, I personally think that we are going to see a very fun race just because of the fall-off and the stage breaks is going to open the door for different strategies, and I’m very excited for that. We have made a couple of adjustments overnight. Hopefully those are the things I’m looking for. We’ll see what we can do today. I’m happy where we’re at.” YOU (AND ROSS CHASTAIN) WERE BOTH VERY FAST LAST YEAR AND NOW YOU HAVE KIMI (RAIKKONEN). WHAT ADVICE HAVE YOU GIVEN HIM AND VICE VERSA?“We’ve been talking a lot about balance, about feelings. We spent a little bit of time a couple days ago at the simulator. Kimi is very natural. He mentioned it a few minutes ago. The only thing he is lacking is time. He’s very natural. If he had a full season in NASCAR, he would be right there with us. The reason we are very fast is that we are in a rhythm. We are driving these cars every single weekend. It doesn’t matter if it’s an oval or a road course. We know the cars in and out. We know the limits, we know what’s good, what’s bad, everything. It’s not easy. You can bring the best of the best in the world. It’s not easy just to jump like that into a series this competitive and be there. It’s not easy. But I think he is going to do very well. He’s getting up to speed more and more. I think today we are going to see another step in the right direction and for sure tomorrow we are going to see another huge step in the right direction for the 91.” HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN FOCUS AND COGNITIVE FOCUS DURING A RACE? IS THERE A PARTICULAR STRATEGY YOU USE?“No, I wish I had some. I try to just stay calm and try to remind myself why I’m here. I’m here because I love racing. I’m here because I love to compete and I like to win. Everything else comes as a consequence. I feel grateful to be here. When you’re in a rhythm, like I was talking about not long ago, it’s easy to take it for granted what we do every single weekend. We are very lucky individuals that we get to do every single weekend what we love to do – drive racecars and compete. Every single driver here is very, very competitive. It’s something we just love. Just because of that we are very fortunate to be in this position. I try to remind myself all these things – to know that I’m in a very good position and go out there and have fun… prepare myself as good as possible mentally and physically and go out there and compete at the highest level that I could possibly do.” HOW WILL THE WEATHER IMPACT THE RACE TOMORROW AND BEING IN AUSTIN.“I think I have to change my weather app because I didn’t think it was going to rain (during the track walk). I think today is going to be a little less grip than yesterday just because it’s going to be hotter. I think we will continue to be fast but the fall-off is going to be bigger. Overall, it’s going to be the same for everyone so we have to adapt and try to adapt as good as possible and see how it goes. I think our car is going to do well. We are making some good adjustments, I believe, for today and I think that we’re going to be on the good side of it when it comes to the new day. We’ll see what we can do. I’m happy where we are.” DIFFERENT STRATEGIES WITH NO STAGE BREAKS.“You guys know this, in the past we were coming into a road-course race with two mentalities – either you’re going to fight for the win or you’re going to fight for points. You couldn’t do both. It was impossible to do both. I was in both situations last year. It was fun but when you were going for points, it was almost like you already knew you weren’t going to win the race or it was going to be a longshot to win the race. If you were going for the race (win) and something was happening, you gave up a lot of points. It was almost like we put ourselves in a box every time. Now I feel like it’s going to open the options a lot and the strategies and lot of things for the teams. I was talking to my team last night about all the different options – the fall-off that we have, the different strategy options and all that kind of stuff. It’s going to be dependent on a little bit of luck. When the caution depends on where you are in your pit cycle. I’m excited for that. I’m excited to bring back the smarter engineers and put them back to work!”

CHANDLER, Ariz. (March 24, 2023) – Austin Prock and the Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster lead John Force Racing sitting in the No. 3 qualifying spot Friday at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Top Fuel teammate Brittany Force has the Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy team sitting No. 4 while Robert Hight and the Flav-R-Pac / Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car are No. 12 and John Force and the BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevy are No. 14. After watching much of the nitro categories struggle, Austin Prock and Montana Brand / RMT team, crew chiefed by Chris Cunningham and Joe Barlam, laid down an impressive 3.696-second run at 330.31 mph to land in the No. 3 spot with two qualifying tries left. The effort earns the team a bonus point for being the third quickest in the session. “Great start from my Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist team. We did exactly what we needed to be in a good position for tomorrow. It always gives you confidence when you can make a nice rip off the trailer door. We’re looking forward to two more nice passes tomorrow,” Prock said. “It’s nice to be back in Arizona and back in the dragster. That first stab of the gas after being off a week gets your attention, a nice reminder of how fast these things are.” Coming off a No. 1 qualifying position at the season-opening Gatornationals, Brittany Force and the Flav-R-Pac dragster had a solid 3.722-second pass at 323.12 mph to open qualifying at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. Force will start day two of qualifying from the No. 4 spot on Saturday. The Flav-R-Pac Chevy Camaro SS was up in tire smoke early on its first attempt down Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Hight would cross the finish line at 7.538 seconds and 83.54 mph landing him in the No. 12 spot. The defending event champion, Hight will take advantage of Saturday’s two qualifying runs to move up the ladder, hoping to earn his third No. 1 at the event. John Force and the BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevy are sitting in the No. 14 spot after shutting off early in their first qualifying attempt at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. For the record, Force crossed the finish line at 8.520 seconds and 77.43 mph. Force will have two more attempts to earn his ninth No. 1 at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park continues with qualifying Saturday at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Race Day is set to begin with the first round of eliminations Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) beginning with a qualifying show Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at noon ET. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. -30-

AUSTIN PROCK, 27, Montana Brand / Rocky Mountain Twist DragsterQualifying:3rd; 3.696-seconds; 324.44 mphBonus Qualifying Points:+1 (3rd quickest Q1)BRITTANY FORCE, 36, Flav-R-Pac / Monster Energy DragsterQualifying:4th; 3.722-seconds; 323.12 mphBonus Qualifying Points:0 JOHN FORCE, 73, BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevrolet Camaro SSQualifying:14th; 8.520-seconds; 77.43 mphBonus Qualifying Points: 0ROBERT HIGHT, 53, Auto Club Chevy Camaro SSQualifying:12th; 7.538-seconds; 83.54 mphBonus Qualifying Points:0

Photo Credit: Gary Nastase, Auto Imagery

NASCAR CUP SERIES ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY AMBETTER HEALTH 400 TEAM CHEVY POST-PRACTICE REPORT MARCH 24, 2023

LARSON LEADS CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUP SERIES PRACTICE AT COTAChevrolet drivers take four of the top-five in practice AUSTIN, TX (March 24, 2023) – With the 2023 season in full-swing, the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) has already taken on a variety of race track configurations – ranging from the season-opening high-banked superspeedway of Daytona International Speedway to the short track that crowns the series’ champion of Phoenix Raceway. Drivers and teams of NASCAR’s premier series will make both left- and right-hand turns at the renowned 3.41-mile, 20-turn Circuit of The Americas (COTA) this season; the first road course event of the year.  Just a few weeks prior, the series debuted a new aerodynamic package that will run on the series’ short ovals and road courses this season. Set to tackle a road course circuit for the first time with the new package, the series was given an extended practice session Friday afternoon, giving teams the opportunity to make adjustments before returning to the track for tomorrow’s qualifying session.  Kyle Larson clocked in a best-lap of 132.544 seconds to put the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1 team second overall on the final speed chart. Chevrolet drivers took four of the top-five positions at the conclusion of final practice with Larson leading Ross Chastain (No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1) in second, Kyle Busch (No. 8 Netspend Camaro ZL1) in fourth, and Daniel Suarez (No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1) rounding out the top five.  On the horizon of his first career start in NASCAR’s premier series, Jordan Taylor made his first laps behind the wheel of the No. 9 UniFirst Camaro ZL1 in this afternoon’s practice session. The 31-year-old Corvette Racing driver ran in the top-10 for much of the practice session, ultimately ended up 10th fastest overall.  Next on tap for NASCAR’s premier series will be a two-round, multi-vehicle qualifying session to set the starting lineup for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. The field will be split into two groups, each partaking in a timed session. The top five fastest drivers in each group will transfer to the final round for a shot at the pole position. The Bowtie brand took the pole in the series’ first appearance in 2021 at the Austin, Texas, circuit with Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1. A pole win is one step closer for Chevrolet’s drivers and teams to keep the manufacturer’s win streak alive at the circuit as the Bowtie brand seeks its third consecutive trip to victory lane COTA.  Chevrolet’s drivers and teams will aim for the manufacturer’s third consecutive NCS COTA triumph in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Live coverage can be found on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Complete coverage of this Saturday’s Yamaha Senoia Short Track will kick off with the day’s first practice session at 4:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. PT). Catch every second of on track action on FansChoice.tv

Event Rewind: DAYTONA Short Track I

Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

Event Rewind: DAYTONA Short Track II

Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

Short Wait to Get Back on TrackThe 2023 Progressive AFT season resumes just two weeks after its thrilling Bike Week double-opener with the inaugural Yamaha Senoia Short Track. Read MoreReality CheckEven with an impressive rookie campaign under his belt, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) admitted that it’s still a bit surreal to be racing with riders he once looked to as his childhood heroes. But if Daniels continues to take it to his more established competition like he did at the DAYTONA ST, what once felt surreal is going to become all too real in a big hurry.  Read MoreSpeaking of MeesSince 2016, reigning Mission SuperTwins champ Mees has scored at least one victory in four separate season-opening weekends (‘17, ‘18, ‘20, and ‘21). Perhaps more telling is how the factory Indian Motorcycle legend responded on the occasions that he didn’t. Read MoreEncore! Encore! The continued development of Briar Bauman and the Rick Ware Racing KTM 890 Duke is one the sport will follow closely all season long. The opener has to go down as a smashing success, even if his Thursday no-brakes podium was followed up by a more down-to-earth Saturday seventh. Read MoreWho’s Next?This year’s loaded Mission SuperTwins field is stocked with premier-class winners (11 in all lined up for the DAYTONA ST Main Event). Is there anyone else who could join that historic list this season? Read MoreHome CookingYamaha stands as the title sponsor of the Senoia ST, which is located just a relatively short drive down the interstate from the firm’s American headquarters. Yamaha comes prepared to defend its home turf from a position of strength, having won eight combined Mission SuperTwins races over the past year.  Read MoreIt’s Way Too Early to Get Desperate… Right? Last year, Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) pretty much put the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship to bed before his rivals knew what hit them, registering six wins over the season’s opening nine races. Read MoreBreakout While Kopp looks incredibly formidable, there’s a pretty decent chance that if he’s beaten this weekend, the victory will go to a first-time Progressive AFT winner. There’s currently a backlog of riders with obvious win potential backed by teams with a history of turning out race winners. Read More

Countdown The DAYTONA Short Track was a serious showcase of the diversity and parity of manufacturers that now stands as a strength of Progressive AFT in the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle class. Count it down with us: 7: Different manufacturers competed(Yamaha, Indian, KTM, Royal Enfield, Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, Husqvarna)  6: Scored points (Yamaha, Indian, KTM, Royal Enfield, Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson)  5: Topped at least one timed session or race(Yamaha, Indian, KTM, Royal Enfield, Kawasaki)  4: Qualified on the front row(Yamaha, Indian, KTM, Royal Enfield)  3: Finished on the podium(Yamaha, Indian, KTM)  2: Finished top two twice (Yamaha, Indian)  1: Won two races (Yamaha) Short Track HerosMees and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) are currently in a five-way tie with Kenny Roberts, Steve Eklund, and Sammy Halbert for fourth most all-time Short Track wins at five. Moving TargetIn short order, Kopp has rocketed up the all-time Parts Unlimited AFT wins list, despite only getting his first just last season. The KTM star is now tied with former class champion and current Mission SuperTwins ace Ryan Wells for fourth all-time with nine wins to his credit.   Spread the WealthParity was a key feature in the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles class as well at the DAYTONA double-opener. Three different manufacturers finished on the podium (KTM, Yamaha, Honda), while four different manufacturers finished inside the top six (KTM, Yamaha, Honda, Husqvarna).

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EASTABOGA, AL (March 23, 2023) Rarely do teams following the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign enter a weekend with a mostly blank notebook.

The schedule is filled by tracks that have hosted The Greatest Show on Dirt dozens of times and even a few that have cleared 100 races.

However, this weekend, the competitors and crews face a unique challenge in the form of Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, AL) and Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, MS). The tracks have combined to host only 12 races – 11 at Talladega and a single visit to The Mag. Even the 11 nights at the Alabama oval occurred before most of the current roster’s time. Only three of 2023’s full-timers have turned Talladega laps in World of Outlaws competition. Of those three, only one of them has raced there with the Series more than once.

While this fact might create a puzzle for some, it can also present opportunity for the younger, less experienced drivers. Robbie Price and Noah Gass have spent much of the past two seasons visiting racetracks for the first time. Like many who sign in on Friday, the young duo will be debuting at Talladega. Gass has made Magnolia laps as it’s the site of Series debut in 2021, and it’ll be another new track for Price.

Going to racetracks for only the first or second time against the nation’s top Sprint Car drivers is always a daunting task. And even though that challenge still presents itself this weekend for Price and Gass, they’ll at least hit the track knowing their competition doesn’t have hundreds of more laps than them.

“Yeah, I definitely think it helps a little bit,” Price said of the more even playing field. “Hopefully, going into this weekend we can adapt a little bit quicker… We’ll see, though. I’ve watched some videos on the places, but we’ll just have to wait and see once we get there.”

“It does bring some satisfaction to know that you have a notebook and confidence in the setup and knowing what not to do,” Gass noted. “For guys like us – me, Cody (Cordell), and Robby (McQuinn), it’s tough sometimes because we’ve only been to most of these tracks once and some of them not at all.”

The obstacle that Gass mentioned is one nearly every team in the pit area will face this weekend. From the time the green flag flies in hot laps, crew chiefs will have pens handy ready to fill the empty notebook pages while the drivers jot down their own mental observations. With that said, how do those behind the wheel approach an unfamiliar track like many will during the two-night southern tilt?

“You watch hot laps, and then you run if off in there and hope it sticks,” Gass said with a chuckle. “You just kind of feel it out and see how you can make yourself faster. You see if you can find some banking in places or grip or whatever. You try not to overthink it and you just go.”

For Price, he has the benefit of 15-time World of Outlaws Feature winner, Jason Sides, in his corner as the car owner and crew chief. The Bartlett, TN native moved into the different role last season, allowing Price to climb aboard. With more than 1,000 Series starts under his belt, Sides has seen many tracks on many occasions, including eight starts at Talladega.

“It’s really good,” Price said of Sides’ help. “Obviously, every track is a little bit different. There’s always one little deal you kind of have to figure out at every place, whether it’s a part to be on the track or a point on the wall to aim at. So, it’s kind of a little shortcut for me with him being able to point some of that stuff out for me right away. I don’t have to learn necessarily the hard way.

“It helps, for sure, him having been to a lot of places we go to now. I’d say it’s a big advantage.”

While both Gass and Price may both agree to some extent on this weekend’s unique set of circumstances making them a little more comfortable in terms of a smaller experience gap, they agree even stronger on something else.

Price is amid his rookie World of Outlaws campaign, and Gass is navigating his second. Their racing careers and early experience on tour have given them the knowledge that the most comfort comes from their own personal laps and not however many they might have compared to the competition.

“Going to new places is always fun, but it’s nice going back to places where you have a notebook already and you know what to expect,” Price said.

“It’s really helpful,” Gass said of having experience. “Especially thinking of Volusia (Speedway Park). We went there five, six or seven nights in a row. It ends up being really beneficial for a feeling. It’s really helpful to just be on the same track over and over and over, figure your throttle out. Even being on the same track, it changes every night, so you’re always learning. It’s nice going back to a track that you have a lot of notes on. It makes Cody confident. I’m confident as a driver. You know it’ll stick when you run it off into the corner.”

For tickets to the Friday, March 24, event at the Talladega Short Track, and the Saturday, March 25, event at Magnolia Motor Speedway, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the tracks, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

CHANDLER, Ariz. (March 23, 2023) – Troy Coughlin Jr. is coming into the NHRA Arizona Nationals with the Pro Stock points lead thanks to a stupendous showing in Gainesville. After picking up a win and a No. 1 qualifier in the season opener, his JEGS.com Camaro is in a prime position to lead the pack this weekend at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. He will compete alongside his seven Elite Motorsports teammates as they battle it out in the ultra-competitive NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock category. This will be the last NHRA event held at this iconic southwest stop on the tour, so every driver wants to get the final prize. Coughlin will also get to compete in the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge wherein competitors who met each other in the semifinals at the last event on the tour will race for redemption in a rematch to take place during Saturday qualifying. The winners will not only receive a bonus purse, but they will also receive extra bonus points, meaning there’s a lot more than pride on the line in these rematches. Coughlin will face Dallas Glenn in this race-within-a-race. Pro Stock standout Aaron Stanfield won the NHRA Arizona Nationals in 2022 against Coughlin. He’s looking for a repeat performance this weekend in his Janac Brothers / JC3 Energy Camaro.  Elite Motorsports Pro Stock rookie Jerry Tucker is looking forward to his second Pro Stock event after giving an impressive performance in Gainesville. Not only did he qualify for the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in a saturated field, but he also took out the reigning Pro Stock world champion, his teammate Erica Enders, in the first round of eliminations. He’s eager to turn on more win lights this week in Arizona. Five-time world champion Enders is ready for redemption after a mechanical issue resulted in an uncharacteristically early exit for her in Gainesville. She has two wins to her name at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and she is focused on getting a third this weekend in her JHG / Melling Performance Camaro. The driver of the other Camaro sponsored by Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, Bo Butner, has yet to get a Pro Stock win in Phoenix. He knows that this will be his last chance to score a victory at this facility and the stakes are high. The Cuadra Boys – Fernando Cuadra Sr., Fernando Cuadra Jr. and Cristian Cuadra – are each hungry for a first Pro Stock victory. C. Cuadra achieved a new personal best elapsed time in Gainesville a couple of weeks ago, demonstrating how focused he is on improving his performance behind the wheel.  ***

Driver Quotes

Erica Enders”I’m really looking forward to Phoenix, it’s like a second home track for me. I’m extra motivated and I know exactly what my team is capable of. In the past, that has proved to be a deadly combo.”

Aaron Stanfield”We are ready to redeem ourselves at Phoenix after an early exit at the first race. Phoenix was good to us last year and we are looking to go back to back!”

Troy Coughlin Jr.”I’m most excited about having two races in one weekend since we are competing in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge. We have our work cut out for us with Dallas as he can drive really well. Team yellow and the group at Elite have a great mindset right now and they’ve been working hard to give me a great car. If I do my job and stay focused on the process going in, we should have a nice weekend.”

Bo Butner”We’ve always enjoyed racing in Phoenix and it’s going to be tough to say goodbye to this track. But we want to put on a great performance for these fans this weekend and our JHG Camaro is ready for action!”

Fernando Cuadra Sr.”We are excited to compete in Phoenix this weekend. Our Corral Boots Mustang is performing well and I continue to learn new things as a driver. This team is great and we are ready to put on a wonderful show for our fans!”

Fernando Cuadra Jr.”For Phoenix, my expectations are really high – especially after not qualifying in Gainesville. We found a lot of issues in the car and the engine that all the guys at the shop figured out. So we are ready to get better results this weekend.”

Cristian Cuadra”I achieved a new personal best elapsed time in Gainesville so we feel good about things as we head to Phoenix.”

Jerry Tucker”It was incredible to qualify and turn on a win light in Gainesville, so we’re going to take that momentum into Phoenix. I feel like the season is off to a great start. I’m getting more comfortable behind the wheel thanks to everyone in the Elite Motorsports camp.”

Photos

The Elite Motorsports team is ready to tackle the competition in Phoenix. (Photo credit: Auto Imagery)

Pre-Race Notes

Elite Motorsports: Pre-race notesNHRA Arizona NationalsChandler, Ariz. (March 24-26) The Elite Motorsports team, the largest team in professional drag racing, has expanded for 2023 and will field a total of eight entries for this weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals near Phoenix. The Elite Pro Stock team features eight drivers including reigning and five-time world champ Erica Enders, Aaron Stanfield, Troy Coughlin Jr., Bo Butner, Fernando Cuadra Sr. and his two sons, Fernando Jr. and Cristian, as well as newcomer Jerry Tucker. In the 19 Pro Stock events contested last season, Team Elite won 15 times and appeared in 26 of 38 possible final rounds. In addition to Enders’ 10 wins, Aaron Stanfield collected three victories while Troy Coughlin Jr. earned his first two professional victories. Enders is coming off the most dominant season of her career that produced ten wins in 13 final round appearances and an astounding 55-9 record in elimination rounds. This season, Enders’ impressive roster of supporters includes Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, Melling Performance, SCAG Mowers, PeopleLease and Mark Stockseth. During her professional career, Enders has accumulated 43 wins in 74 final rounds and has a round-win record of 439-241 for a .646 win percentage. Enders also has a win in Super Gas (2004 Houston) bringing her career total to 44 national event victories. Enders has won at least one event at 17 different venues including Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Enders won the Phoenix event in 2013 and 2020 beating Mike Edwards and then-teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. Enders currently holds both the elapsed time and speed record for the NHRA Pro Stock class with bests of 6.450-seconds and 215.55 mph. The elapsed time record was set at the 2022 Gatornationals last March. If Enders wins four events this season, she will surpass three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Angelle Sampey as the sport’s winningest female driver. Sampey currently has 46 wins while Enders has 44. Following an impressive fourth-place finish in 2022, Troy Coughlin Jr. will begin his fourth full season behind the wheel of the familiar yellow and black JEGS.com Camaro. Coughlin enjoyed a breakout season last year with back-to-back victories in Seattle and Topeka. Coughlin also went to final rounds in Phoenix, Reading and Las Vegas. Coughlin heads to Phoenix as the championship leader after a dominating win at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals two weeks ago. Coughlin qualified his JEGS.com / Elite Motorsports Chevy in the No. 1 spot and defeated Mason McGaha in the final round. He currently has a 24-point lead over McGaha. In addition to his three career Pro Stock victories, the multi-faceted Coughlin has won in Top Alcohol Dragster, Super Comp and Super Gas. Coughlin’s father, Troy Sr., is a 15-time national event winner in Pro Stock, Pro Mod and Super Gas. Including his uncles, John, Mike, and Jeg Jr., the Coughlin family has combined to win 131 national event titles. Coughlin’s career bests in Pro Stock are 6.515-seconds and 212.29 mph, set earlier this month at the season opener in Gainesville. Aaron Stanfield will also return to the Elite team for another season behind the wheel of the Janac Bros/JC3 Energy Camaro. Stanfield, the son of five-time Super Stock world champ Greg Stanfield, is coming off a season where he was the third-ranked driver in Pro Stock. Last year, Stanfield earned Pro Stock wins in Phoenix, Bristol and the Fall Charlotte race to go with four runner-up finishes in Pomona, Epping, Norwalk, and Denver. Stanfield finished the season with a 38-16 record in elimination rounds. Stanfield qualified solidly in the No. 4 spot in Gainesville but suffered a rare round-one loss against Matt Hartford. He enters the Phoenix event as the No. 11 ranked driver in the class. Stanfield won back-to-back titles in the FlexJet Factory Stock Showdown class in 2020-21. He will continue to drive his Janac Bros.-owned COPO Camaro in that class and will also continue to race in the Wright Trailers Top Dragster class. All told Stanfield has 21 career wins in Pro Stock, Factory Stock, Super Stock, and Top Dragster. Stanfield won the Arizona Nationals in 2022 when he faced his teammate Troy Coughlin Jr. in the final round. Stanfield’s career bests in Pro Stock are 6.457-seconds and 213.47 mph, both set last year in Gainesville. Bo Butner is a two-time NHRA world champion in Pro Stock (2017) and Comp Eliminator (2006). He joined the Elite team last season as the driver of the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Camaro. Last season, Butner drove to a ninth-place finish in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Stock standings. While he did not win a Pro Stock event last year, the multi-talented driver did earn a pair of victories in the Super Gas class in Indy and Reading. Butner has 29 career national event victories including 11 in Pro Stock. He also has wins in Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, and Super Street. Butner has also enjoyed success as a big-money bracket racer with a victory at the K&N Spring Fling Million in Las Vegas in 2021. Butner won the Super Stock title in Phoenix in 2002, defeating Mark Faul in the final round. Butner’s career bests in Pro Stock are 6.475-seconds and 214.28 mph, set in Dallas (2015) and Gainesville (2017), respectively. The Cuadra family including Fernando Sr., and his sons Fernando Jr. and Cristian, have returned to Elite Motorsports again this season with their three-car Corral Handcrafted Boots team. The Cuadra family will race Ford Mustangs under the Elite banner. Fernando Sr. is a two-time national event runner-up with final-round appearances at the 2019 races in Reading and Pomona. Cristian Cuadra was also the runner-up to Enders at the 2022 Four-Wide event in Las Vegas. The Cuadra family has career-best elapsed times of 6.515 (Fernando Jr.), 6.524 (Fernando Sr.) and 6.527 (Cristian) – all of them recorded in Gainesville. Their career-best speeds are 212.13 (Fernando Sr.), 211.43 (Cristian), and 210.73 (Fernando Jr.). Cristian Cuadra went to the final round of the Four-Wide event in Las Vegas last season where he finished second to teammate Enders. He finished the season as the sport’s No. 8 ranked driver in Pro Stock. Collectively, Elite drivers have combined to win 103 NHRA national event titles across all classes including 63 in the Pro Stock class. New to the Elite Pro Stock team this year is Jerry Tucker, who enjoyed a memorable debut in Gainesville. Tucker qualified his Elite Camaro in the No. 15 spot with a 6.573 and won the first round after teammate Enders encountered a mechanical issue. Tucker heads to Phoenix tied with Matt Hartford for No. 8 in the standings. Tucker, of Lindsay, Okla., has spent the last 30 years racing everything from Sprint cars to Midgets and has also enjoyed success in drag racing. Tucker previously raced in the Top Sportsman class. Tucker is expected to be one of the leading contenders for the NHRA Rookie of the Year award. Collectively, the eight current team Elite drivers have combined to win 104 NHRA national event titles across all classes including 64 in the Pro Stock class.

MESQUITE, TX (March 23, 2023) – Further expanding its support with the World of Outlaws, Federated Auto Parts will serve as the title sponsor of the Texas Outlaw Nationals at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, March 31-April 1.

The iconic auto parts brand will be featured around the historic Texas track, which hosted the first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car event in 1978.

“This is an exciting opportunity to have Federated Auto Parts associated with the most historic venue and one of the biggest events on the World of Outlaws schedule,” said J.R. Bishop, director of event marketing & member services, Federated Auto Parts. “We can’t wait to bring the Federated brand to the passionate Texas fanbase.”

The two-day race will be one of the biggest Spring events, featuring a more than $120,000 overall purse with Friday night’s race paying $10,000 to win and Saturday night’s Feature paying $20,000 to win.

Federated Auto Parts joined the World of Outlaws at the beginning of the year in a multi-year deal, serving as the title sponsor of DIRTcar Nationals – and will add its name to three more events this season. Also, Federated Car Care sponsors the Work Zone at every event.

Tickets to the Federated Auto Parts Texas Outlaw Nationals at Devil’s Bowl Speedway can be purchased here.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 23, 2023) – Progressive American Flat Track is excited to announce that short track racing icon Bubba Pollard will serve as the Grand Marshal for the Yamaha Senoia Short Track on Saturday, March 25, at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia. Pollard is one of the most popular and successful asphalt super late model and dirt car late model drivers in the nation, boasting 150 late model victories along with more than a dozen major championships. Among his long list of achievements include high-profile triumphs at the All American 400, Rattler 250, Oxford 250, and American Freedom 300. In addition to managing a grassroots racing career that is openly envied by some of NASCAR’s biggest names, Pollard has a unique tie to Senoia Raceway. His grandfather, Hence Pollard, originally built the facility in 1969, and the Pollard family recently reacquired the venue with Bubba as co-owner. “We are excited to welcome the Progressive American Flat Track series to Senoia Raceway,” Pollard said. “Their reputation within the motorsports industry is second to none and they always produce great racing. We are honored to have them put on a show for our fans and welcome new ones to our facility.” Gates will open for fans at 3:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. PT) with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT). Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/yamaha-senoia-short-track-61409 to purchase your tickets today. For those that can’t catch the live action from Senoia Raceway, FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://www.fanschoice.tv. FOX Sports coverage, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 from the Yamaha Senoia Short Track on April 1 at 7:00 a.m. ET (4:00 a.m. PT).

DALLAS, TX (March 23, 2023) — Third year professional racer Buddy Hull will be back in action during the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series at this weekend NHRA Arizona Nationals driving the Methanol MoonshineTop Fuel dragster tuned by veteran crew chief Mike Guger. At the end of 2021 Hull purchased the Top Fuel operation of Tim Wilkerson, a two-time Funny Car winner in 2021, and he had a successful season last year racing limited national events. This season Hull and the Methanol Moonshine team that also receives backing from Renegade Fuels, Go Lithium, Vertex Roofing and General Contractors as well as associate sponsor support from Camelback Ford, who provided the teams tow vehicle this weekend for the Arizona Nationals, will be looking to continue their quest for wins and improved performance.

“These Top Fuel dragsters go from zero to 100 mph in less than a second but we are being very methodical in how we build this racing program,” said Hull. “We brought Mike Guger on which was a big step for us. I have to thank Tim Wilkerson for all his support, guidance and encouragement. I have known Tim my whole life and I would be racing without his help. This team has been working hard over the off season and I am excited to get to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park and make some runs.”

“Adding someone like Mike to the team is a dream come true,” added Hull. “He has so much experience and has worked with so many great drivers, I honestly pinched myself after he said yes to working with our team. We are building a solid foundation to move forward and Mike along with David Shaff, our car chief. They will be a great one-two punch. David joined our team over a year ago and has shown great leadership from the beginning as well as a great work ethic. I can’t wait to get to Phoenix and see what we can do.”

Buddy Hull announced Methanol Moonshine as his primary sponsor in December at the PRI Show and in January the Top Fuel driver announced veteran Top Fuel tuner Guger would take the reins as his full-time crew chief. The momentum is building for this young team and they are looking to make an impact starting this weekend at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. Hull plans to race at least eight races in the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series starting at Wild Horse Motorsports Park.

As a Methanol Moonshine partner Hull will be an ‘am-a-bad-ass-ador’ for the 2023 NHRA Top Fuel season, with the team launching the Moonshine and Motorsports brand into the high-speed & high-performance world of drag racing using his Top Fuel dragster, his image and of course his chiseled chest as platforms to promote the brand and his team. Buddy Hull Racing and Methanol Moonshine will collaborate on a uniquely themed brand of merchandise available exclusively through Buddy’s website and other merchandise avenues.

“I’m super excited to work with Wade Aunger, Chris Bishop, and everyone at Methanol Moonshine.  Since we started talking back at Indy, we all just hit it off and did everything possible to work together,” says Hull. “It’s an absolute perfect fit with our team and the look of the car is something special. I can’t wait to launch this partnership into a new gear through our racing program and hopefully make that trip ‘down under’ to race in a dragster there as well.”  

In addition to the Arizona Nationals Hull will compete at the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals, Rt. 66 Nationals in Chicago, the Topeka Nationals, the U.S. Nationals, the Midwest Nationals in St Louis, the Fall Nationals in Dallas and the Las Vegas Nationals to wrap up the season in October.

For more information, visit https://methanolmoonshine.com.au/ and https://www.buddyhullracing.com/ and for merchandise visit https://www.buddyhullracing.com/shop

About Methanol Moonshine:

Methanol Moonshine is an Australian inspired, made in the U.S.A. Moonshine distilled in the heart of the Midwest within the corn fields of Spencer, Iowa.  Initially launched in Australia during the pandemic of 2020, then in the U.S.A. in July 2021, it is a motorsport themed corn whiskey with a tag line that sums up the way you drink it and the way you make life choices – ‘smooth and subtle or a whole lotta trouble!’.

Along with the quickly growing Methanol Moonshine liquor, motorsports fans have quickly adopted the associated apparel brand “Methanol Moonshine Merch” which is also available in both the U.S.A. & Australia.

Learn more about Methanol Moonshine & Methanol Moonshine Merchandise on the following social platforms including Facebook (@methanolmoonshine & @methanolmoonshinemerch), Instagram (@methanolmoonshine) & TikTok (@methanolmoonshine).

About Buddy Hull Racing:

Buddy Hull Racing is based out of Dallas, Texas and was founded at the amateur level in 2008.  Buddy Hull Racing moved to the professional level in 2022 after purchasing the Top Fuel operation from Tim Wilkerson Racing.

Hull’s drag racing roots run deep. His family has been involved in the sport since the late 1950s and has a proud history which Buddy looks to continue.  

Buddy Hull Racings plans for 2023 are rather diverse after adding a nitro Funny Car and a nostalgia TF car into the mix alongside his NHRA Top Fuel dragster. Hull has not announced specific plans for either of the time of this release.  

Learn more about Buddy Hull & Buddy Hull Racing on the following social platforms including Facebook (@buddyhullracing), Instagram (@buddyhull323tf) & TikTok (@buddyhull323tf).  #HullYeah

March 23, 2023

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are headed to their first road course race of the season – the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

In their first trip to COTA, last year, Burton and the No. 21 team finished 17^th but earned 26 points due to finishes of ninth and seventh in the first two Stages.

This year the rules for road courses will be different, but crew chief Brian Wilson said he’s up to the challenges of calling the race. And he’s confident that he and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team can build on their road-course results of 2022, which included a season-best finish of third on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“Last year at COTA we had one of our best points days of 2022 and came away with a top-20 finish,” Wilson said. “Heading into this year’s race the Stage break rules will be different however. 
 
“NASCAR will not throw a caution at the end of the Stage, so scoring Stage points will be a bit more dynamic than it was last year.”
 
There are other changes to contend with as well.
 
“We will have a new tire for this event which looks like it will have more lap time fall-off based on the tire test earlier this year,” Wilson said. “Choosing when to pit and getting a timely caution may determine the outcome of the day for many cars in the field.”

Wilson said the changes will give the race a familiar look for long-time fans and participants in the sport.

“Those two aspects give this weekend more of the feel of a road-course race from when my career started,” he said. “Playing the strategy correctly as things happen on the fly will be an interesting storyline for the weekend.

“The No. 21 Ford team will look to get the road-course portion of our season off to a great start this weekend.”
 
Practice for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix is set for Friday at 1:05 p.m. Central Time (2:05 Eastern), with qualifying scheduled for Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (11:30 Eastern). FOX Sports 1 will broadcast both events.
 
The green flag for Sunday’s 68-lap, 231.88-mile race is set to fly just after 2:30 p.m. Central Time (3:30 Eastern) with TV coverage on FOX.
 
Stage breaks are planned for Laps 15 and 30.

 

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

EchoPark Automotive Grand PrixCircuit of The Americas Austin, Texas March 26, 2023

CHEVROLET SEEKING THREE-FOR-THREE AT COTAAll three NASCAR national touring series will take on the first road course event of the season this weekend with the 3.41-mile, 20-turn Circuit of The Americas (COTA) set to host its third NASCAR tripleheader. Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with a NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) win at COTA, recording momentous wins in each of the series’ two appearances at the circuit.

The series’ inaugural event at the Austin, Texas, circuit in 2021 saw Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 team take the victory in the rain-shortened event. Elliott’s win delivered Chevrolet its 800th all-time NCS win, extending the manufacturer’s record as the winningest manufacturer in NCS history. The victory also brought Hendrick Motorsports to a tie with Petty Enterprises’ all-time win record, with the Chevrolet organization going on to break the all-time win record the following week at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports currently stands at 293 wins in NASCAR’s premier series, all recorded behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.

The series’ 2022 appearance at the circuit saw the Bowtie brand back on top, this time with Ross Chastain and the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 team. The victory marked Chastain’s first career win in NASCAR’s premier series, as well as Trackhouse Racing’s first win since the organization started competing in the series. The victory was the start of a breakout season for Trackhouse Racing with the organization going on to win two more races and ultimately ending the season with both drivers in the top-10 of the final points standings (Chastain – second; Daniel Suarez – 10th).

ROAD COURSE WARRIORS Chevrolet drivers have been the ones to beat in NASCAR Cup Series road course competition in recent seasons, with the manufacturer recording wins in 15 of the series’ past 17 road course events. Within that timespan includes a streak of 11 consecutive wins, starting with Chase Elliott’s victory in the inaugural NCS event at Circuit of The Americas in May 2021. Six drivers from four different Chevrolet teams contributed to that win streak:

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet:(Circuit of The Americas; May 2021)(Road America; July 2021) Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet:(Sonoma; June 2021)(Watkins Glen; August 2021)(Charlotte ROVAL; October 2021)(Watkins Glen; August 2022) AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet:(Indianapolis Road Course; August 2021)

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet:(Circuit of The Americas; March 2022) Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet:(Sonoma Raceway; June 2022) Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet:(Road America; July 2022)(Indianapolis Road Course; July 2022)

In 156 all-time road course races in NCS history, Chevrolet has recorded 62 wins, dating back to Buck Baker’s win at Watkins Glen International in 1957.

WELCOME TO THE LINEUP Chevrolet’s already stout driver lineup has an added boost of experience for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. The compelling entry list includes a Formula One world champion, a four-time IMSA champion, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and an INDYCAR phenom – all of whom will be behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.

Corvette Racing’s Jordan Taylor will take over the driving duties for the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 for the weekend, marking Taylor’s first career start in NASCAR’s premier series. The four-time IMSA Drivers Champion competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing, while also playing a key role as the reserve driver and driver coach for the Garage 56 project. The 31-year-old sports car standout is familiar with victory lane at COTA, having two IMSA wins to his name at the 3.41-mile circuit.

Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 will make its return to NCS competition with a familiar face behind the wheel: Kimi Räikkönen. The 2007 Formula One World Champion was the first driver for Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 last season at Watkins Glen International, also marking Räikkönen’s first career start in NASCAR’s premier series. “The Iceman” has already logged laps at COTA, competing at the circuit eight times in his Formula One career – one of which included a trip to victory lane in the 2018 U.S. Grand Prix.

After making his return to the driver’s seat at the 2023 Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson is set to make his second start of the season this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 84 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Camaro ZL1. The 47-year-old California native has 84 all-time NCS wins and seven NCS championships to his name, but this weekend will mark his first time competing at the Austin, Texas, circuit.

Conor Daly will be back behind the wheel of the No. 50 The Money Racing Camaro ZL1 this weekend, marking Daly’s second NCS start of the season. The Team Chevy NTT INDYCAR Series driver has made only five career starts in NASCAR’s national ranks, most recently in the 2023 Daytona 500 when the driver raced his way into the series’ crown jewel event.

NXS: CHEVROLET LOOKS TO DEFEND COTA WIN Notable road course favorite AJ Allmendinger drove Chevrolet to its first NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) win at Circuit of The Americas in 2022. The victory by the 41-year-old California native was the start of a dominant season for the manufacturer in the series’ road course competition with the Bowtie brand going on to take wins in five of the six NXS road course races last season. In addition to his win at COTA, Allmendinger tallied three more road course victories in 2022, including the series’ debut at Portland International Raceway, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and the Charlotte ROVAL. Kyle Larson also added to last season’s win count, driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Camaro SS to the win at Watkins Glen International.

Allmendinger will be pulling double-duty this weekend, returning to a familiar seat in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS as the driver looks to defend his race winning title. Allmendinger’s win in the series’ most recent road course race (Charlotte ROVAL) brought the Chevrolet driver to a double-digit win count in NXS road course victories with 10, making him the first driver in series’ history to accomplish that feat. With two NCS road course wins also on his résumé, Allmendinger has recorded 12 career road course victories at the NASCAR national level. Hendrick Motorsports will again field the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Camaro SS in the series for select races this season, kicking off with William Byron behind the wheel this weekend. Byron made three starts in the series in 2022, recording a best finish of second at Texas Motor Speedway. In his young career, Byron competed in only one full-time season in the series (2017) before getting the call up to NASCAR’s premier series. He had an extraordinary rookie campaign in the NXS, taking both the 2017 Driver’s championship title and Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. To date, Byron is the second-youngest champion in series’ history (19 years, 11 months, 20 days).

NCTS: CHEVROLET’S QUEST FOR THREE IN A ROW In just his third start with the Chevrolet organization, Christian Eckes drove McAnally-Hilgemann Racing to its first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend. The triumph came after Eckes battled with fellow Chevrolet driver Nick Sanchez in an overtime finish, ultimately surging to the lead on the backstretch of the final lap en route to the victory and a playoff berth. The victory also marked back-to-back victories for the Silverado RST, following up to Kyle Busch’s win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway two weeks prior.   Chevrolet drivers will head to Austin, Texas, with a mission to get the Silverado RST to victory lane at Circuit of The Americas for the first time. Three of Chevrolet’s NASCAR Cup Series regulars will join the NCTS lineup, including the series’ winningest driver Kyle Busch (No. 51 KBM Silverado RST), Alex Bowman (No. 7 Spire Motorsports Silverado RST) and Ross Chastain (No. 41 Niece Motorsports Silverado RST).

ON TOP IN THE STANDINGSWith a strong start to the 2023 season, Chevrolet will head to Circuit of The Americas as the manufacturer points standings leader across all three NASCAR national series.  Corey LaJoie (No. 7 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1) recorded a career-best fourth-place finish to lead Chevrolet to the checkered flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend. In addition to the manufacturer’s four NASCAR Cup Series wins this season, Chevrolet continues to lead in the series’ standings by 20 points. With five points-paying NCS races in the books, the Bowtie brand leads the series in wins (four), top-fives (12), top-10s (24), stage wins (seven) and laps led (724).  With Austin Hill’s win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevrolet maintained the lead in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ manufacturer points standings, now sitting nine points ahead of second. Chevrolet’s three NXS wins this season have all come from the 28-year-old Richard Childress Racing driver, making Hill an early championship favorite. Hill also continues to lead in the NXS driver points standings, extending the gap to 46-points over second. Joining Hill in the top-10 of the points standings includes series’ rookie Chandler Smith (fourth), JRM Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier (fifth), Sam Mayer (sixth) and Josh Berry (eighth), and former series’ champion Daniel Hemric (10th).  Recording his first win under the Chevrolet banner, Christian Eckes also powered the Bowtie brand to the lead in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series manufacturer points standing. Eckes’ win at Atlanta Motor Speedway also took him back to the top spot in the series’ driver points standings. The 22-year-old New York native has become an early force to be reckoned with since joining the Chevrolet team, leading the series in top-10 finishes (three), laps led (54) and stage wins (two) thus far. Five drivers from five different Chevrolet team will head to COTA in the top-10 of the NCTS driver points standings including Eckes (points leader), GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger (sixth), Rackley W.A.R.’s Matt DiBenedetto (seventh), Kyle Busch Motorsports’ Chase Purdy (eighth) and Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar (ninth).

BOWTIE BULLETS:·       Chevrolet has won both NASCAR Cup Series races at Circuit of The Americas with Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1) in 2021 and Ross Chastain (No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1) in 2022. ·       Chevrolet’s Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain are the only two drivers in the series to record top-five finishes in both NASCAR Cup Series races at Circuit of The Americas, both having an average finishing position of 2.5. ·       Chevrolet has recorded wins in 15 of the past 17 NASCAR Cup Series road course races, including a streak of 11 consecutive wins that started with Chase Elliott’s victory at Circuit of The Americas in May 2021.  ·       Six active Chevrolet drivers have at least one career NASCAR Cup Series road course win:Kyle Busch – 4 (Sonoma – 2008 & 2015; Watkins Glen – 2008 & 2013)Kyle Larson – 4 (Sonoma – 2021; Watkins Glen – 2021 & 2022; Charlotte ROVAL – 2021)AJ Allmendinger – 2 (Watkins Glen – 2014; Indianapolis Road Course – 2021)Jimmie Johnson – 1 (Sonoma – 2010)Ross Chastain – 1 (Circuit of The Americas – 2022)Daniel Suarez – 1 (Sonoma – 2022) ·       Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors in wins this season across all three NASCAR national series with four NASCAR Cup Series wins, three NASCAR Xfinity Series wins and two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins. ·       Chevrolet’s four NASCAR Cup Series wins this season have been recorded by drivers from three different Chevrolet teams: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing), Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing) and William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports). ·       Chevrolet drivers have recorded seven of the 10 NASCAR Cup Series stage wins this season: Ross Chastain (three), William Byron (three) and Kyle Larson (one). ·       With five points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in the books, Chevrolet leads the series in wins (four), top-fives (12), top-10s (24), stage wins (seven) and laps led (724). ·       Chevrolet sits atop the manufacturer points standings in all three NASCAR national series, leading by 20 points in the NASCAR Cup Series, nine points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and seven points in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. ·       With its 41 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer’s Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Championships, and 837 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.   FOR THE FANS·       Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Circuit of The Americas.·       Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles the Fan Midway including: Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison, Traverse 2LT, Corvette Convertible 3LT, Tahoe RST, Bolt EUV 2LZ, Silverado 2500 HD Crew. ·       Fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Camaro ZL1 show car at the Chevrolet Display in the Fan Midway. Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display: Saturday, March 25·       Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth & Daniel Dye: 9:45 a.m.·       Chase Purdy & Jack Wood: 10 a.m. ·       Nick Sanchez: 10:15 a.m.·       Matt DiBenedetto: 10:30 a.m.·       Justin Allgaier & Miguel Paludo: 11:30 a.m.·       Brandon Jones: 11:50 a.m.·       Josh Berry: 12:00 p.m.·       AJ Allmendinger: 12:45 p.m.·       Sam Mayer: 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 26·       Erik Jones: 10:30 a.m. ·       Noah Gragson: 11 a.m.·       Ross Chastain: 11:15 a.m.·       Jordan Taylor: 11:30 a.m.·       Kyle Busch: 11:45 a.m. Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: Friday, March 24: 12:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.Saturday, March 25: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 26: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tune In: ·       NASCAR Cup Series – EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix; 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 26(FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90). ·       NASCAR Xfinity Series – Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today; 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 25 (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90). ·       NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – XPEL 225; 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 25(FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90).

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1You have your same crew from last year. Can you talk about the significance of that?“I’m so happy to have the same group of people around me for this season. It’s so hard in this sport to keep the same groups together whether it’s because someone wants a different travel schedule, they get another opportunity at another team, or they have some other reason. We are the exact same group, from crew chief, to engineers, to crew guys, the pit crew, truck drivers – I mean everyone is the same. That’s very valuable to have in this sport and it’s rare that it happens, so I think it’s very significant that we’ve been able to do that.” Now that it has been a year since your first win, what do you think was so special about it?“Last year’s win was huge for so many people and so many different reasons. It was my first win, it was Justin’s first win as a team owner, it was my crew chief’s first win in his position, my spotter’s first win, and some of the crew guys, it was their first win. These people all put so much effort into making the car go fast and I have to execute to the car’s fullest extent, and when that happens and we win, there’s no greater feeling. I also got to share a special moment with my brother who was one of my spotters and I got to pick him up out there after he climbed over the fence, and we rode in the car together all of the way to victory lane. Those are the moments are so special. He’s six years younger than me but we are so close and he’s watched me have great opportunities and watched me have great opportunities go away.” Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Camaro ZL1Larson on racing at Circuit of The Americas: “We’ve gotten both COTA’s I feel like. (We got) the monsoon the first year, which was my first-ever time really racing in the rain. So that was a blast. We came up a little short there because it started raining a little too hard and we had to call the race short. We were in position to win that one. Last year, I didn’t qualify well, didn’t race well and did a terrible job on restarts. I look forward to going back to hopefully do a better job behind the wheel, having a better setup under us and having a better opportunity to race for a win would be great.” Kyle Busch, No. 8 Netspend Camaro ZL1“I enjoy road course racing and COTA is really fun. It’s obviously high prestige with it being a Formula One track when Formula One comes to the United States that those guys get to race on there, so it’s nice to have a shot on a big stage like that. Our cars are really big, really heavy and makes it for a big challenge getting those vehicles around there fast. There’s a lot of rhythm sections to the esses and down through the back area in the stadium section. It really is tough to kind of get a car that is really good set up for there. Our big, heavy stock cars are a challenge to try and slow them down in the braking zones. We obviously have to brake well earlier than many other divisions that get to race there but it still makes it for a fun road course. Road course racing has definitely gotten a lot tighter and has increased on the competition level for sure. It used to be easy to kind of go to a track and think that you can come away with a top-five. Now you kind of go to a road course and you think you can come out of there with a top-10 and you’re hoping for a top-five. I think a lot of it, obviously, has to do with driver preparation. Everybody is getting more accustomed to road racing and with more road courses on our schedule plus the parity within the car and everybody running much of the same stuff. You don’t really have teams that are able to splurge on brakes or suspension components and things like that to make your stuff better than someone else’s. That makes it tough.”  Was the extra track time you had at COTA in the offseason with the Goodyear tire test a big help to you as you prepare for the Cup race?“Getting to go there and run the Goodyear tire test earlier this year was really important for the chemistry of the team and just getting started off on the right foot. I think, though, with the aero changes that have now come about, we weren’t prepared for that, so we didn’t test that aero package that we’re going back to the road course with this weekend. We did get laps, but it wasn’t laps and reps in the proper setting.” Jordan Taylor, No. 9 UniFirst Camaro ZL1Taylor on the expectations and preparation for his first NASCAR Cup Series start: “Any driver wants to be at the front and battling for the win, but I think I have to keep my expectations in check. Everyone in the Cup Series these days is good on every form of racing, whether it’s a superspeedway, short track or a road course. I know that it’s going to be a big uphill battle, battling these guys. I’m glad we do have an extra (practice) session to kind of understand it. From a driver’s perspective, I have the belief that I can figure out how to drive the car and then it just comes down to the little details of pit stops, pit lane speed. I’m used to pushing a button on the steering wheel and it controls my pit lane speed. In NASCAR, you have to control it all yourself. So little details like that are the things that I’ve been bouncing off Chase (Elliott); little tricks of the trade and what to expect. Even little things like coming into the pit box, knowing how to launch the car and things like that. I know it’s going to be a big challenge, but I’m looking forward to it. I’m really grateful for the opportunity.” AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Farmsmart Camaro ZL1“Obviously last year we had a really good shot to win the race. It’s a completely different year with a completely different package. Hopefully we’ll unload close to what we had last year and just build off of that as the weekend goes on. New way of racing without stages there, so you have to qualify well and try to run up front because there isn’t much you can do strategy wise. We know this is a weekend we can run up front, score good points and hopefully give ourselves the chance to win which is the ultimate goal.” William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1Byron on running two races at COTA: “I’m really optimistic for this weekend, especially running double duty. We’ve always seemed to run well at COTA but just need to be a step better. I think the No. 24 team has shown that this year already. The only real difference for this race is that there are no longer true stage breaks, but that just changes how we work our strategy. If we go out and execute, we should be in a good spot for both races in the end. Hopefully, we can go out and not only get Mr. (Rick) Hendrick a win in the No. 17 but also Liberty University a win in the No. 24.” Justin Haley, No. 31 Celsius Camaro ZL1“I’m looking forward to the first road course of the year. COTA was the first track that we made the final round of qualifying at last year. We showed a ton of speed in both qualifying and the race along with my teammate, AJ (Allmendinger). It’s one of those tracks I’ve enjoyed racing at in other series and have some confidence going into the weekend.” Noah Gragson, No. 42 Black Rifle Coffee Company Camaro ZL1Gragson on running at COTA: “We finished fourth last year in the Xfinity car and we have put a lot of work in this season to get better at COTA. It’s a really fun track with some awesome energy from the crowd. We have a great looking Chevy Camaro ZL1 with the Black Rifle Coffee Company partnership and I was able to make it to victory lane with them in Xfinity and looking forward to the challenge. We had a great run last weekend at Atlanta and I want to keep this momentum going.” Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Camaro ZL1With there being no stage breaks for this race, how will that affect the strategy in how you approach this weekend?“I think it opens up some more options, the old stages how we’ve had the last few years, you were kind of locked in to one way or the other – take stage points or take a higher finishing position. We will see how it used to be I think with running the race backwards and trying to make sure you have enough fuel to get to the end of the race. We will see how much tires matter; I think they are going to be pretty important with probably some more fall off than what we’ve seen in the past with the track aging and getting more slick a bit. I think it will be a fine balance between tires and trying to pit as early as you can to make it on fuel, so we will see how it plays out with our Allegiant Chevy.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger / Blue Buffalo Camaro ZL1“We’re excited to get to COTA. It will be our first race with our partners at Blue Buffalo and the pain scheme looks amazing. I’m excited to get there. COTA is obviously a road course with a lot of shifting and a lot of crazy things going on. Weather could be an issue with rain. We’ve had a rain race there before and it was kind of chaotic. I’m looking forward to turning left and right. COTA is a really fun racetrack and it’s in a really cool town. There’s a lot of fun things there to do and I’ve got a lot of friends coming out to the race.” Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1Bowman on pulling double duty at COTA: “I am excited to go truck racing at COTA this weekend. Last year, we had a lot of speed and I am hopeful we have the same this weekend. It would be really neat to have wins in all of NASCAR’s national series and this weekend gives me another chance to add that to my resumé. I also like running the truck because it helps me for Sunday’s Cup race.” Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Club Wyndham Camaro ZL1Johnson on running at COTA: “This is going to be such a great weekend. I’ve had this race on my bucket list for a really long time and I’m thankful for a partner like Club Wyndham for making it possible. I’m looking forward to the challenge of the track, these NextGen cars with the low downforce, and thankful we have a practice on Friday to see what we have to work with. Todd Gordon and the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team have prepared a great car back at the shop. From everything I’ve heard this track puts on a heck of a show, and from a venue standpoint, it’s such a great stage for this sport. I’m looking back to getting back to the track, we have spent some time in the SIM to prepare and I’m ready for the weekend.” Todd Gordon, Crew Chief, No. 84 Club Wyndham Camaro ZL1Gordon on running at COTA: “I ran COTA with Ryan Blaney in 2021 in the rain. Neat venue, really long and lots of different facets to this place. There are high speed straightaways and some rhythm stuff through the esses, lots of short, tight 90-degree corners and it’s got some sweeping right handers through the stadium section. So, it’s really a track that has all the facets of road course racing. This track asks a lot out of the team, car and driver and it’s the first time we’ve gone there with this low downforce and the package we ran at Phoenix. It’s a really cool opportunity. I’m looking forward to the practice and see what Jimmie likes – he is a really good student – and I think his INDYCAR road course experience is going to be key because he understands how to race his way thought a road course. It’s great to have a very detailed driver who knows how he can affect the racecar. Should be a great weekend.” Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1 Are you looking forward to COTA?“Yes, I feel like that track owes me one. We had a very fast car there last year and I felt like we were going to win the race if we didn’t have any problems. Unfortunately, we did but Ross was able to get the win for Trackhouse. I was glad to see that, but I really thought we were going to be in victory lane.” What has allowed Trackhouse to stay near the front over the last year since that last win?“That’s a very good question. I think it’s a combination of many things, starting with our people. We have great people; great engineers, good pit crews. I think that if we look back to one year ago…one year ago we were a team that was very promising. I feel like right now, Trackhouse is a reality. I think we have shown that we’re here to stay and to be competitive. Last year was a very good year and this year, so far, has gone in a very good way. We have to continue to work; not feel comfortable and not stay still because everyone is working very hard. I feel like that has been one of the keys of Trackhouse to continue to evolve and continue to move forward.” Are you excited to have Kimi Räikkönen join the team this weekend?“Of course. Kimi was a lot of fun last year when he raced with us in Watkins Glen. You can certainly see his talent. He picked up NASCAR racing so quickly last year. It’s going to be interesting to see how he does this year on a track where he has won in Formula One. I think he will be very quick.” ——————————————————————————————————————————— Chase Purdy, No. 4 Bama Buggies Silverado RSTDo you enjoy road course racing?“I used to hate it, but now I actually kind of like it — COTA specifically. COTA is probably my favorite road course that I get to race and that I have raced. I’m actually really excited to get to Austin this week and to race COTA.” What do you think not having stage breaks will do to the flow of the race on Saturday?“I think it will affect people’s strategy — when they come to pit road and where they want to position themselves for the end of the race. Kind of going back to how it was years ago when you didn’t have stage breaks and you just ran until there was an actual caution or the end of the race. I think there will be a lot of green flag stops, I think that opens the door for that. Just being mindful of the rules changes this weekend and positioning yourself to where you can be there at the end of the race without having stage breaks.” Evaluate how your team has performed over the first three races.“I think we are obviously figuring out how to put together races and run consistently up front. We only want to get better from here. I think that if we can continue to get better every week and just get a little bit more at a time, I think one of these days we can finish one off and lock ourselves into the playoffs. Then we can concentrate on continue to have consistent finishes and run strong every week.” Kyle Busch, No. 51 Zariz Transport Silverado RSTYou already have a win in trucks this year. What is your outlook on getting a second win Saturday?“I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the Zariz Silverado this weekend at COTA. We were able to get Zariz a win at Las Vegas in their first race as a primary NASCAR sponsor — that was pretty cool, and they were pretty pumped about it. Vegas was also the first race for me working with (Brian) Pattie in trucks and a few other new people on the 51 team, so to have that much speed out of the gates shows how hard everyone at KBM has worked to make sure that we didn’t skip a beat with the manufacturer change and the other changes that we had with our crew chief lineup and such over the offseason. Hopefully we can make it two-for-two on the year with a win at COTA Saturday. The goal every year in trucks is to go five-for-five with my five truck races — we’ve been able to accomplish that before and I don’t see any reason why we can’t do it again, just have to click them off one at a time. We had a really fast truck at COTA last year, felt like we deserved the win and kind of got one taken from us. We just need to go out there Saturday and execute our race, control what we can control and try to be the first one to the finish line this time around.” Grant Enfinger, No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Silverado RSTThough you don’t necessarily consider yourself a road course racer at heart, your COTA track record may say otherwise. How well do you enjoy racing at this facility?“I would say that I’ve definitely put a lot of effort into my road course racing over the last couple of years, and I think COTA is one of those tracks that has a little bit of everything – there are some technical sections, there are some slow-speed corners and high speed corners. Obviously, that back straightaway is really, really fast, and it forces you to almost have to get the truck completely stopped at the end of it. But yeah, it’s a place I really enjoy; I enjoy the challenge of it and I’ve worked really hard at learning the layout. I know [Jeff] Hensley and the rest of my guys at GMS Racing have put a lot of effort into this Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet, so hopefully we will have something to contend with.” Rajah Caruth, No. 24 Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado RSTYou’ve never seen the racetrack at COTA before, so how big of a help has iRacing been to you in preparing for this weekend?“So since I’ve never been to COTA before, iRacing is going to be so pivotal to me this weekend. Albeit, I’m pretty much on the service all the time for any of the tracks that we go to, but for COTA, since I’ve never raced there before, it’s going to be even more useful for me before I hop in my actual Wendell Scott Foundation Silverado RST. I’m excited to give it a whirl, and I think we will have a strong weekend, especially with all of the prep that Josh Wise and Scott Speed have us Chevrolet athletes doing, and I think the GMS Racing trucks should be pretty sporty across the board.” Daniel Dye, No. 43 Dell Children’s Medical Center/Nyle Maxwell Supercenter Silverado RSTCOTA will be the first road course that you run with in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, can you tell us a little more about your previous road racing experiences?“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. I mean, COTA is a whole different beast compared to Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, and Portland that I’ve raced at before. I loved road course racing last year in the ARCA Series. It’s going to be fun to try it out in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series; there’s a lot more trucks and competition out there, but to go to a huge place like COTA with 20 turns is going to be super cool. It’s going to be fun; we’re just going to stay on our toes and learn all day to be the best we can be by the end of it with our No. 43 Chevy.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics Manufacturers Championships:Total (1949-2022): 41First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15) Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022 Drivers Championships:Total (1949-2021): 33First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021) Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2023 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 4Poles: 2Laps Led: 724Top-five finishes: 12Top-10 finishes: 24Stage wins: 7·       Ross Chastain – 3 (Daytona), (Auto Club x2)·       William Byron – 3 (Las Vegas x2), (Phoenix)·       Kyle Larson – 1 (Phoenix)   CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 837 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 736Laps led to date: 246,268Top-five finishes to date: 4,233Top-10 finishes to date: 8,736                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,171           Chevrolet: 837           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 821                                                                      Ford: 721           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 170

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Bryan Lively (rblively@hotmail.com)Sellersburg, IN (March 22, 2023) – Automotive Racing Products (ARP), the “World Leader in Fastener Technology,” returns as a sponsor for the Pro Pulling League in 2023. “ARP has been a valued partner with the Pro Pulling League for many years,” commented PPL Chief Operations Officer Kristi Asher. “Their support continues as it has in years past as ‘Official Fastener’ of the Pro Pulling League and title sponsor of the Super Stock Diesel Truck and Lightweight Super Stock Tractor classes. We appreciate their continued support of PPL for 2023.” About ARP:Automotive Racing Products offers over 5000 fastener kits manufactured to exactingly high standards at facilities across Southern California. Their website, www.ARP-Bolts.com, provides volumes of product and technical information while their catalog is available in print or digital form at www.ARPCatalog.com. About Pro Pulling League:Now in its 18th season, the Pro Pulling League features 250+ sessions of competition across twenty states through the Champions Tour, Silver Series, Champion Seed Western Series, Ag Protect 1 Midwest Region and their member-states. For the latest in news from the Pro Pulling League stay tuned here atwww.propulling.com and follow us in social media: On our Facebook page, on Twitter (@propulling), and on Instagram (propullingleague). Our YouTube channel (@propullingleague) offers exciting truck and tractor pulling action from past events.

CHANDLER, Ariz. (March 22, 2023) – John Force and his BlueDEF PLATINUM Chevrolet Camaro SS team head to the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park with history on their side as the sixteen-time champion hopes to close out the track’s final event with a victory.  Force’s eight wins at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2005) are three more than anyone else in any professional category. From 1994 through 2002, Force was in the final every year except 1998 and in addition to his eight wins, he has been runner-up six times, most recently in 2016. Force’s history at the track started at the beginning, he participated in the first race ever run at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park (formerly Firebird Raceway) in 1985. Later that same year, he was runner-up to John Collins in the track’s first official NHRA national event. “I’ve loved racing in Arizona at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. I’ve got a lot of memories there, a lot of success,” Force said. “Never want to see a racetrack go, we’ll see what happens, but me and my team, we’re hoping to bring this chapter to a close with a win. I want to get this BlueDEF Chevrolet in the winners circle, just like I do every weekend. Danny Hood and Tim Fabrisi and my guys, they’ve been working hard, I’ve got to step it up to keep up but we’ll get the job done.” The BlueDEF Chevrolet came up short in the quarterfinals of the season-opening Gatornationals, but a solid qualifying effort that had them No. 2 to start race day earned them seven total bonus points to put Force fifth in the championship points standings.   The NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park kicks off with qualifying Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Race Day is set to begin with the first round of eliminations Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) beginning with a qualifying show Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at noon ET. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m. ET

MOORESVILLE, NC (March 22, 2023) — Last year in just her second career Pro Stock race Camrie Caruso picked up her first win light at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. That round win gave the rookie loads of confidence that carried her through a strong rookie campaign that included a No. 1 qualifier a few weeks later in Houston and her first final round appearance at the same national event. At the end of the season Caruso was crowned NHRA Rookie of the Year and now the second year pro is looking to return to the site of her first win light with her sights set on securing her first win. Caruso will be wheeling her Powerbuilt Tools Chevrolet Camaro with a new team and crew chief.

“Last year we qualified in the top half of the field at the Winternationals to start the season and then got our first win light at the Arizona Nationals,” said Caruso, a third generation drag racer. “I can’t explain the feeling of seeing that win light come on at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park last year. So much time and energy went into just getting our team organized to race last year. I am looking forward to getting back with my new KB Titan Racing team and turning on even more win lights this weekend.”

Camrie Caruso, Powerbuilt Tools Chevrolet Camaro

Over the off-season Caruso jumped at the opportunity to join KB Titan Racing and become a teammate with multi-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson, 2021 NHRA Rookie of the Year Dallas Glenn and second-generation driver Kyle Koretsky. The new alliance has freed up Caruso’s time to focus even more on improving her driving skills and building her marketing team of supporters. One of her biggest backers, Powerbuilt Tools, will be on her Chevrolet Camaro for multiple races starting this weekend. Caruso will not just be promoting the outstanding tool brand but also promoting CAWA, a non-profit trade association, representing automotive parts manufacturers, jobbers, warehouse distributors, retailers and program groups. The Association was formed in 1955 and serves as the voice of the aftermarket parts industry in the West, i.e., Arizona, California and Nevada. CAWA prides itself on quality customer service to its members and the industry.

“Powerbuilt Tools is a great company to be associated with and our relationship is about more than selling tools,” said Caruso, who made multiple appearances for Powerbuilt Tools in the off-season. “Through their relationship with CAWA we are helping provide scholarships and career opportunities for people all over Arizona, Nevada and California. They are doing great things to encourage women to get involved in motorsports at all levels. There are so many opportunities beyond driving and working on race cars and CAWA is doing great things to promote this with the support of Powerbuilt Tools.”

Last year Caruso experienced firsts at every NHRA national event on her way to her Rookie of the Year honors. To celebrate her accomplishments Caruso is teaming up with NHRA announcer Jason Galvin to spend time at each NHRA national event talking to fans about what they can expect from an NHRA national event if they are first time attendees. The free stage show will take place on Friday at 3 p.m. on the Nitro Alley stage in the pit area. Aptly named “Just the Basics with 2022 Rookie of the Year Camrie Caruso” will give fans the chance to hear about what is going on at the Arizona Nationals as well as behind the scenes stories from the reigning rookie of the year.

“I am looking forward to participating in the Just the Basics stage show with Jason,” said Caruso. “I learned so much last year and I want to help our fans understand everything that is going on at the races. There is so much to see and do if I can help a fan have a better experience I want to help them out. This is something new and hopefully fans will enjoy hearing some cool and sometimes funny stories.”

On the track Caruso will be looking to continue to develop as a driver and race her Powerbuilt Tools Chevrolet Camaro Pro Stock car to round wins on Sunday. She will get her first shot at the track on Friday night during the opening day qualifying run. On Saturday Caruso and the Pro Stock class will get two more qualifying runs before the 16 quickest Pro Stock competitors race on Sunday for the coveted NHRA Wally. The race will be nationally televised on FS1 throughout the weekend.

PLAINVIEW, NY (March 22, 2023) — Heading into the second race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series this weekend at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park Justin Ashley and the Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster team powered by National Debt Relief are looking to write their name into the record books. This weekend’s NHRA Arizona Nationals will be the last NHRA national event at the storied facility located 20 minutes from beautiful downtown Phoenix and Ashley would like to etch his name into the winner’s column. The fourth-year pro has raced at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park twice before and the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year is hoping the third time racing in the desert will be the charm.

“The NHRA has had so many great races at this facility,” said Ashley, who has qualified No. 5 in both of his previous races in Arizona. “Every race is equally as important. But this one has added significance. We’d love the opportunity to join a long list of previous winners in Phoenix. We have high expectations for ourselves and look forward to racing in front of a sold-out crowd.” 

With three qualifying sessions on the schedule Ashley knows it will be critical to come off the trailer on Friday night and lay down a solid number. At the season opening NHRA Gatornationals the team battled some early season issues during qualifying before losing a close first round race at Gainesville Raceway. Ashley was at the top of his form off the starting line with a stellar .038 reaction time, quickest of the round in the losing effort.

Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster powered by National Debt Relief, photo by Gary Nastase/Auto Imagery

“There is so much that goes into making these 12,000-horsepower race cars perform at a high level. It’s one of twenty-one races,” said Ashley. “The race in Gainesville quickly went into the rear-view mirror and our focus immediately shifted to Arizona.  We have a championship team with the right mentality and skillset to achieve our goals. We will be ready for this weekend and understand the importance of each pass down the racetrack beginning on Friday night.”

Over the off-season Ashley renewed a number of marketing relationships including KATO Fastening Systems and added Century 21 Realty Specialists, Mac Tools and National Debt Relief. These companies and brands are seeing the rise of an NHRA superstar and championship contending team. 

“It’s an honor to represent the partners that we do,” said Ashley. “I am fortunate to work closely with each of them and truly value their time, energy and commitment to the success of our program. I love being the spokesperson for Phillips Connect, the leader in the field of trailer telematics. I love representing National Debt Relief, a company that prides themselves on helping clients achieve financial independence. But most importantly, I am grateful for the opportunity to work with each one of the amazing companies that contribute so much to our team both on and off the racetrack.”

In Ashley’s rookie season he raced to the quarterfinals starting from the No. 5 spot. Last season once again starting No. 5 he was upset in the first round by Tony Schumacher. This year Ashley is looking for another top half of the field or better start in the qualifying order and a long day on Sunday.

“This class was so tough last year, and it’s shaping up to be even tougher this season,” said Ashley. “Every driver who qualifies has a legitimate chance to win the race. We saw it at the Gatornationals and you will see more of the same this weekend at the Arizona Nationals. Teams will have to have four near perfect rounds of racing to put themselves in a position to win. But that is part of what makes our sport so great. The tide is rising and teams are having to rise with it. Our Phillips Connect team is ready.”

Qualifying for the NHRA Arizona Nationals will begin on Friday night with one session followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday. The quickest 16 Top Fuel dragsters will battle for the Wally starting at 11:00 a.m. local time with the race being televised nationally on FS1.

CHANDLER Ariz. (March 22, 2023) – Robert Hight returns to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park for the NHRA Arizona Nationals, the second event of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, as the defending race champion in the Flav-R-Pac / Cornwell Tools / AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. Last year’s win over Matt Hagan in the finals was Hight’s second at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. The other came in 2012 when he beat then-teammate Mike Neff in an all-John Force Racing final round. Hight has also been runner-up in Arizona in 2007, 2008, and 2014 and was the No. 1 qualifier in 2007 and 2019. He earned the No. 1 spot in 2007 with a time of 4.636 seconds which remains the quickest run ever at the quarter-mile distance at which races were contested until July of 2008. “I feel good coming into Arizona this weekend. This Flav-R-Pac team is getting settled in and getting back into our groove. We were getting back to it there at the Gatornationals, but it just wasn’t our weekend,” Hight said. “We’ll pick right back up and get the job done at Wild Horse Pass. I’ve done well here, know that helps. Hopefully, we’ll qualify well and have a long race day. Would really like to get this Flav-R-Pac Funny Car in the winners circle with Brittany’s Flav-R-Pac dragster.” A mechanical issue plagued the Flav-R-Pac Camaro at the season-opening Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, handing Hight a quarterfinal finish after starting the day as the No. 3 qualifier. The Flav-R-Pac / Cornwell Tools / AAA team will enter the Arizona Nationals looking for a jump from their No. 8 points standing position. The NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park kicks off with qualifying Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Race Day is set to begin with the first round of eliminations Sunday at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) beginning with a qualifying show Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at noon ET. Eliminations will air Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.